Refrigerator shelf construction



Oct. 13, 1936,

| STRATTON 2,057,544

REFRIGERATOR vSHELF CONSTRUCTION Filed March 25, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.)

Oct. 13, 1936. STRATTON 2,057,544

REFRIGERATOR SHELF CONS TRUCTION Filed March 25, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 13, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE] Refrigerator shelves frequently are of greater nuisance than of value, because they are sometimes in the way of proper storage of large articles and of bottles in upright position. Also, refrigerator shelves of conventional type are of such depth and close spacing as to lead to difficulty in placing articles to the extreme rear and of removing them therefrom. Such objections are tolerated with much inconvenience, or are overcome by removing a. shelf, with consequent loss of storage space.

An object of my invention is to produce a refrigerator shelf construction which is collapsible and which may be collapsed not only partially to effect any desirable reduction in shelf width, but also may be collapsed entirely to clear the entire refrigerator interior of shelves or extended completely to project the desired shelf or shelves beyond the interior of the refrigerator in order to function as a support for articles to be arranged within or which are being removed from the refrigerator.

This and other objects are attained in the shelf construction I am about to describe and which is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of an exemplary refrigerator embodying a shelf structure constituting my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmental sectional view of the shelf structure shown in Fig. 1 and taken on the line 22 thereof.

Fig. 3 is a fragmental perspective view of a detail of the slide by means of which my exemplary collapsible shelf is mounted.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the parts in different positions.

Fig. 5 is a fragmental perspective detail .of a form of collapsible shelf embodying my invention.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing a modified form of shelf embodying my invention.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmental sectional view of the shelf structure shown in Fig. 6,and taken on the line 1-! thereof.

Fig. 8 is a fragmental perspective view of a detail of a modified form of slide by means of which either form of my collapsible shelf may be mounted. I

Fig. -9 is a view similar to Fig. 8, but showing the parts in different position.

Fig. 10 is a fragmental perspective detail of the modified form of collapsible shelf structure shown in Figs. 6 and '7. v

The construction shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive now will be described. I have shown a. box like insulated container I I of typically general refrigervided for access to the interior, a door not being shown, merely for convenience of illustration. On

the opposed side walls of the refrigerator are mounted stationary or permanent portions I 3 5 of V shaped guides or slides, such stationary portions being of a length preferably materially shorter than the interior depth from front to rear of the refrigerator. Within these stationary portions are movable portions H which slide within 10 the stationary portions for movement from a totally collapsed position within portions l3 as shown at the lower shelf in Fig. 1, to a totally extended position from portions 13 as shown at the upper shelf in Fig. 1. Since both portions l3 l5 and M are hollow, they are adapted to receive within them a link chain IS in each side guide or slide, as shown in Fig. 2, and between these guides, I have stretched a ring-link shelf it which constitutes a fabric with highly articulated characteristics as shown in Fig. 5 particularly. This shelf fabric is fastened to the side chains IS in any suitable manner, as by loops or staples i7 extending from each alternate link of each chain. The forward edge of the shelf ring-link fabric is 5 fastened to a bar which extends across the front of the shelf for additional support, while the rear edge of the shelf fabric is attached to a roller 19 by means of which the fabric is rolled, the roller having bearings at its ends in a back wall recess 30 20 which receives it. To rotate ,the roller 9. chain 2|, passing over a roller sprocket and over a sprocket mounted on a short shaft 22 extending through to the outside of the refrigerator wall, is provided, a crank 23 on this short shaft, being 35 provided for winding the shelf fabric into partial or completely collapsed condition. Forward movement of the shelf to adjusted positions is obtained by grasping the front bar l8 and merely drawing the shelf forward to the desired degree. 40

Since inner slide it must move forward when it is desired to extend the shelf to its greatest width, as shown in the upper position in Fig. 1, the front end of each inner slide is closed, as shown at 24 in Figs. 1 and 4, thereby forcing bar 45 is to move both slides forwardly when it is pulled forwardly. This forward limit of movement of each inner slide is reached when a pin 25 on the inner slide l4 reaches the forward end'of a slot 50 26 in the outer slide l3 and a latch 21 on the outer slide holds the inner slide inthis forward position when its end engages a hole 28 in the inner slide, as shown in Fig. 3. This same latch locks the inner slide in completely collapsed po- 55 sition by engaging the ends 24 of the inner slide, as shown in Fig. 4.

In Figs. 6 to 10 inclusive of my invention, I have shown another form of my invention, in which the shelf slides 29 and 30 perform the same functions as do the respective slides l3 and I4, while side chains 3| therein operate to support a shelf between them composed of a plurality of rods 32 connected together in this manner in articulated relationships, a forward bar 33 being provided for shelf manipulation. In this different form of myinvention I have arranged for recesses 34 in the rearwall of the refrigerator wall, into which the shelf may drop or hang. as it is moved from extended to collapsed condition, as shown in the lower shelf position in Fig. 6. A'removable grille 35 may cover each recess if desired, so as to prevent articles being pushed into interference with the shelf and also permit of cleaning of the recess when desired. -Slide limiting and locking may be accomplished, as in the first described construction, or as illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9, in which an upturned lug 86 on the inner slide, operating in a slot 31 in the outer slide, will stop outward movement of the inner slide, while a spring tongue 38 on the inner slide snaps outwardly at the outer limit of movement of the slide, to lock this slide in such outer limit position until released by depression of the tongue to release it from the outer end edge of slide 28. I have shown primary and modification forms of flexible shelf constructions and the means for storing, supporting, extending and varying the area of the shelves, but it must be understood that these are merely exemplary of the invention contemplated in the development I have made, and which is set forth in the following claim. I claim:

In a refrigerator having a recessed rear wall, side walls, telescoping shelf guides on the side walls extending partially across the width thereof from said rear wall toward the front of said re-' frigerator when in retracted positio and'a link shelf mouhted for movement in the guides forwardly to fully extended position beyond the front of the refrigerator when the shelf guides have been fully extended, said shelf occupying partial extension within the refrigerator upon guide movement to completely retracted condition thereof, said shelf occupying the rear wall recess completely uponmovement completely from the guides, said shelf occupying the rear wall recess partially upon movement partially to occupy the guides. 1

LEE STRA'I'ION. 

